NEW YORK -- Thanks to its dazzling yet melodious Leonard Bernstein score and humorous story by Hugh Wheeler via an 18th-century classic by Voltaire, "Candide" is an ideal work for introducing young spectators to the glories of opera.

It's a lot more fun than "Hansel and Gretel," that's for certain.

So it's grand to see New York City Opera's colorful 1982 production of "Candide" return for a stint at the New York State Theater, where the revival opened last night.

Sure, some bawdy business sporadically erupts as the oh-so-innocent Candide and his chums gaily sail from one dire disaster to another in their hapless pursuit of higher awareness (and riches), but much of that will likely escape a youngster's notice amid all the screwball happenings of this handsome production.

Surely there are few overtures as thrilling as the one that begins "Candide" as swiftly conducted by George Manahan. Even as this gorgeous opening potpourri of songs surges along, bright banners drop into view and circus wagons trundle on bearing the characters. The nifty concept to Harold Prince's staging is that we are watching a veritable circus of the world's follies and wonders with ironical old Voltaire himself as ringmaster.

From there, it's a fast-moving series of picturesque scenes -- designer Clarke Dunham's cartoon vistas look as witty as ever -- accompanied by memorable music that often mocks high-flown opera styles while remaining true to the story and its people.

Efficiently dusted off by stage director Arthur Masella and delivered by an enthusiastic ensemble, this latest revival is essentially solid but appears to be a trifle under-powered by its leads. Looking tentative the other evening, they are likely to acquire greater command of the stage with subsequent showings.

Sporting a mane of white hair in the narrator's role of Voltaire, Richard Kind switches wigs and costumes to portray Candide's dubious mentor Dr. Pangloss, the governor of a banana kingdom and other raffish figures. Boasting a big grin, decent pipes and a vaudevillian's aplomb -- sometimes even with Groucho Marx accents -- Kind pops up in the darndest places, including the orchestra pit, where he briefly leads the musicians.

Fresh from depicting Bob Gaudio in the original company of "Jersey Boys," Daniel Reichard is an appealing, earnest Candide. If he sounds a bit vocally winded by the end of the show, for the most part Reichard ably sings and acts with boyish urgency.

Lauren Worsham displays a sweetly trilling voice and a nice way with comedy as the gold-digging heroine Cunegonde. Blue eyes burning amid the gypsy drag she wears as the hobbling but hot-cha Old Lady, Judith Blazer fearlessly dives into fandango choreography and reacts to the story's twists with eloquent looks of disgust. Kyle Pfortmiller's resonant Maximilian and Jessica Wright's ever-perky Paquette are other agreeable companions along this wacky journey into light-opera paradise.